


"Don't Pretend to Care, I know you Don't." (She doesn't know shit about how he feels)

by notebooksandlaptops



Series: Tumblr Prompts [1]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Angst, Confessions, F/M, Falling In Love, Feelings Realization, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Multi, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Polyamory, Tumblr Prompt, no beta we die like renfri, sort of getting together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:14:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23480785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notebooksandlaptops/pseuds/notebooksandlaptops
Summary: "Don't pretend to care, I know you don't."-///-Or, Yennefer has a fight with Geralt. Jaskier takes her side.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Jaskier | Dandelion/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Series: Tumblr Prompts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1689241
Comments: 28
Kudos: 409





	"Don't Pretend to Care, I know you Don't." (She doesn't know shit about how he feels)

“Fuck off, Bard,” Yennefer all but _spat_ the words as she stalked further into the forest, further away from their stupid little camp and their stupid little merry-band-of-destiny-inspired- _crapshits._ She had half a mind to portal away, far away, never come back, leave them all to it.

The urge was only going stronger, with every step behind her she could hear echoing her own.

She had no time to deal with her Lover’s lovers _pity_ or worse, her Lover’s lovers _scorn._ Her patience wore thin around Jaskier at the best of times let alone _now._ Why had he followed her in the first place? To make a mockery of her, perhaps? She wouldn’t put it past him – he was not the soft little songbird Geralt believed him to be.

“Yennefer, I—”

“ _No,_ ” her voice echoed this time, vibrated in the trees around them. There was a tinge of magic to it, enough that a simple human would run at its sound.

Except the footfalls behind her were coming _closer_ not further away.

Absolute _idiot._ Had he been dropped on his head as a child? What was it that made him so desperate to fling himself at beings who could rip out his throat without thought or effort?

One day – maybe today - it was going to get him killed.

“I don’t need to _hear it,_ bard. Whether you’re here to put some misplaced comfort to win brownie points with Geralt later, or else call me a heartless bitch or to defend Geralt’s honour, I already know your thoughts.”

He hated her. It was as simple as that.

Oh, sure, occasionally they’d have a tumble in the sheets together. One got curious, about one’s lover’s lover and sometimes it was easier to go at it all three of them than to go at it one on one. But that was about as far as her relationship went with him. They were thrust together because of circumstance, because of who they loved, not because of any goodwill they held for the other.

And yes perhaps he proved…interesting. He knew good wine, for one, and had the wit to match hers on days he wasn’t too preoccupied with being a bumbling fool. He _certainly_ knew what he was doing between the sheets – and the part of him that _wasn’t_ a sweet little songbird, that was something more dark and feral was…enticing. Interesting.

But right now she’d rather cut his throat from ear to ear than admit that.

Especially since right now, he wouldn’t leave her the fuck alone.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he spoke confidently, one of the few people she knew who would outwardly defy her. It just further proved his idiocy, “You’re hurting.”

She laughed, but it was a hollow, bitter sound. She turned on her feet, glaring, “Don’t pretend to care. I know you don’t.” She knew it in her bones, in her very being. Jaskier didn’t care. Some days, she wasn’t even sure Geralt did let alone the bard.

And there Jaskier was – stood on the tallest peak when she was lightening ready to strike – leaning against a tree and having the _audacity_ to sit there in his doublet and look _concerned._ His head cocked to one side, studying her. She thought about scratching his eyes out, just for the joy of it.

But her fight with Geralt wasn’t _that_ bad. If she hurt Jaskier, they’d never make up. Because Jaskier had always been Geralt’s weak spot – wasn’t that why they met?

Wasn’t that proof that she’d never truly be important to him? Not fully? Not when he had this _distraction_ following him around like a puppy dog begging for scraps.

Jaskier cleared his throat, “Geralt is wrong about this – and even if he wasn’t, he was wrong to shout at you like that. Do you think me so lovestruck with him as to always take his side?”

_Yes._

At least, she expected him to always take Geralt’s side over hers.

But then, maybe she was underestimating him again. There was that hardness in his eyes she saw sometimes, the nature that was more an alley cat stalking for prey than a puppy dog begging for scraps.

“It doesn’t matter. Go shout at him then. I don’t need your comfort.”

He pushed himself forward, so he was no longer leaning against the tree. “No, I imagine you don’t. You’re much the same in that way. Neither of you _need_ comfort,” his eyes were hard, unyielding blue. Determined. Stubborn. “But our needs don’t dictate our wants nor what we deserve.”

He stepped close to her, she stepped back. “ _Bard._ I don’t have time for this. You’re not my _lover._ ”

He frowned. He didn’t look hurt merely…curious. “Am I not? We talk together, we laugh together, we raise a child together and we sleep together. We’re as much lovers as you and Geralt, or me and Geralt. And while I know you’re probably ready to eat my heart right out of my chest, I am not going anywhere. I don’t plan on leaving either you or Geralt behind.”

She was still bristled. He was still close. Clearly, he knew her well enough to know not to risk touching her, but he was _there._

“I’m not pretending. I _do_ care, you insane witch – though it may show me as foolish to do so. And I think you care for me too, somewhere in that heart of yours. At the very least, I don’t think you’ll turn down my adoration. And I do. I adore you.” He stepped closer again, and this time she didn’t step back.

“I’m not some hysterical girl who needs to calm down,” she hissed.

“Did I call you one?” he responded. “Look Geralt—I’ve been dealing with this for a lot longer than you. And I _am_ oft a hysterical girl who needs to calm down. He lashes out, it’s what he does. And now is worse than ever because he’s scarred about Ciri and he’s blaming just about everyone that she’s not still tucked up safe in Cintra.”

“I don’t need you to explain Geralt’s motives to me,” Yennefer growled. “I know him as well as you.”

Jaskier bit his lip, “Right. I know. Sorry. I just—look, I’m trying to say, this? We have common ground here. Him taking out his shit on us. And when he calms down we can go back and kick him upside the head for it. But right now I just—fuck, Yen, just come here, alright?”

And then he _held out his hands._

She stared at the offer of an embrace. This was foolish. This was so fucking foolish. He was a bard. And stepping into those outstretched arms would be admitting that she believed him. That she believed he cared. That she was willing to class them as…lovers. Did she really want to do that? Did she really want to give him the satisfaction of having her? Of course, he didn’t _quite_ look at her like something to be conquered, as most men had since her transformation.

She didn’t need his comfort though. She didn’t need a man’s arms around her to make her feel better or safer. She could handle herself just fine.

Except—

She could admit, sometimes, privately, that she had been alone for a long time. And there he was offering her adoration. They were on the same side here.

She glared, then dropped it. No point. Perhaps—perhaps he saw her. Perhaps.

She stepped into his embrace and accepted that just perhaps he did care.

**Author's Note:**

> I now take tumblr prompts for cute lil ficlets like this! If you're interested [@Jaskier-wearing-dresses](https://jaskier-wearing-dresses.tumblr.com/) just drop one in my inbox (or just come say hi in general, always happy to make new witcher friends) 
> 
> This was for an angst prompt list so sorry its so angsty - let me know what you think in the comments!


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